Whether you are building a 5 marla house in Johar Town, a kanal home in DHA or a small commercial plaza, the architect is usually the first professional you hire. The architect turns your plot, budget and family needs into a naqsha (floor plan), an elevation and a set of drawings the builder and the approving authority can work from.
This guide explains what architects in Lahore actually do, how to check their registration, how fees are usually worked out and what to watch for before you pay anything.
What an architect does in Lahore
An architect's work normally falls into three stages:
- Design – understanding your brief, studying the plot and bylaws, and producing floor plans and a front elevation you approve.
- Approval and construction drawings – preparing the submission drawings for LDA, DHA or your housing society, plus the detailed working drawings that the contractor builds from.
- Site support – periodic visits to check that construction matches the drawings, answer contractor questions and approve changes.
Some homeowners hire for all three stages; others only want a naqsha and elevation and handle the rest with a contractor. Be clear about which you are buying.
Services architects offer
| Service | What it is | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| House design and naqsha | Floor plans for each storey based on your rooms, plot size and setbacks | Before buying materials or hiring a contractor for a new house |
| 3D front elevation | Rendered images of the front facade, materials and colours | When you want to see and agree the look before construction |
| Approval drawings (LDA / DHA / society) | Submission set prepared to the authority's format and bylaws | Before any construction starts on a new build or major change |
| Renovation and extension design | Drawings for adding a floor, rooms or changing layout | When altering an existing house |
| Commercial building design | Plazas, offices, shops, mixed-use buildings | Commercial plots; usually needs structural and services engineers too |
| Farmhouse design | Larger plots with lawns, outbuildings, staff quarters | Farmhouse schemes around Lahore |
| Working drawings and BOQ | Detailed construction drawings plus a bill of quantities | To get comparable contractor quotes and control cost |
How to choose an architect
Check the PCATP licence
The Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners (PCATP) regulates the profession under the PCATP Ordinance (Ordinance IX of 1983). Its bye-laws say that a person practising as a consulting architect without a valid licence from the Council is liable to punishment, and that consulting architectural services should be given to firms registered with the Council. Firms are licensed in categories from A-5 to A-1, based on how many years the principal architect has been licensed (PCATP bye-laws, Part XVI).
Ask for the architect's PCATP registration number and the firm's licence category, and confirm it with PCATP directly.
Check acceptance with your authority
In DHA Lahore, building plans must be signed by a registered architect, defined as one registered with PCATP and with the Authority (DHA Construction Regulations). If your plot is in DHA or a private society, ask whether the architect is enlisted there and has had plans approved recently.
Structural engineer on the team
Your architect designs the spaces; a structural engineer designs the frame. LDA regulations require structure stability drawings or calculations for buildings above 38 feet (LDA Building and Zoning Regulations), and DHA requires a stability certificate from a PEC-registered consulting engineer for commercial plans. Engineers register with the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), which is moving its licensing and verification online (Express Tribune, Aug 2026).
Look at built work, not only renders
Ask to visit at least one completed house the architect designed. Renders are easy to make; a well-built, well-ventilated house that matches its drawings is better evidence.
How architect fees usually work
There is no single published rate for architects in Lahore, and fees vary widely. Common pricing bases are:
- Per square foot of covered area – the most common basis for houses; the rate depends on how many stages are included.
- Lump sum – a fixed fee for a defined package, such as naqsha plus elevation only.
- Percentage of construction cost – more common on commercial or large projects with full supervision.
- Per visit – for site supervision added to a design-only package.
What changes the fee:
- Covered area and number of storeys
- Whether approval drawings, working drawings, structural design and BOQ are included
- Number of design revisions allowed
- Plot location (DHA and some societies have stricter submission formats)
- Level of site supervision
- Interior design, if added
Get two or three written quotes that list exactly the same scope so you can compare.
From request to completed design
- Share your brief – plot size and location, number of bedrooms, budget range, family needs, and whether you need approval drawings.
- Site visit and bylaw check – the architect checks setbacks, coverage and height limits for your scheme.
- Concept plans – one or more layout options for you to choose from.
- Elevation – 2D or 3D front elevation based on the chosen plan.
- Approval drawings – the submission set, with structural input where required.
- Submission and follow-up – you or the architect submit to LDA, DHA or the society; LDA's regulations set a 45-day decision timeline for residential applications.
- Working drawings and BOQ – detailed drawings for the contractor, and quantities for pricing.
- Site visits – if included, at key stages such as foundation, slab and finishing.
Red flags
- No PCATP registration number, or reluctance to share it
- A "free naqsha" offered on condition that you hire their contractor
- Design that ignores setbacks or coverage limits "because everyone does it"
- No written scope, or revisions and approval follow-up "included" only verbally
- Full fee demanded upfront rather than staged by deliverable
- Drawings delivered without the architect's name, stamp or registration details
- Promises to "get the map passed" through contacts rather than through the normal process